Download: "Booking Metallica would have been boring"

Organiser Andy Copping once again defends headliners against criticism

Download Festival's chief booker Andy Copping has once again defended Def Leppard as the choice of headliner for this year's
festival.

Andy Copping told RockAAA that: "I booked Def Leppard
because they deserve it, because they are big enough to do it."

Asked why he hadn't pursued Metallica, Copping
responded by saying: "Metallica are a great band but if they went away for
three or four years then came back then they'd be even bigger. When they keep coming back they become boring."

"Metallica have toured extensively and have been here
for seven of the last eight summers. For me that is definitely overdoing it."

Copping also ruled out Van Halen, The Darkness, Rammstein, Tool
and Soundgarden making appearances at the festival. It
was originally expected that The Darkness will be reforming to make a Friday main stage
appearence before Def Leppard.